Sleeping Beauty Turquoise 4x5mm Rondelle - Limited Editions
Dakota Stones’ Sleeping Beauty Turquoise is from the Sleeping Beauty mine in Globe, Arizona — famous for the outstanding robin’s egg blue color and quality of their rough. The Sleeping Beauty mine ceased producing Turquoise in 2012, so only a finite amount of rough material remains. With only limited amounts of this highly sought-after material remaining, natural Sleeping Beauty Turquoise continues to rise in value.
Turquoise is one of the oldest known stones in human history, often used as a talisman by kings, shamans and warriors. Turquoise beads found in Iraq date back to 5000 BCE, and Egyptians were mining the stone as early as 3200 BCE. King Tutankhamun’s death mask was studded with Turquoise, and it is known to have been widely used in Aztec and Native American cultures.
To help strengthen and preserve our Sleeping Beauty Turquoise it is processed using the Zachary Process.
What Is the Zachery Process you ask?
James E. Zachery, a turquoise trader and an electrical engineer, discovered a way to improve the quality of turquoise in the 1980's.
By soaking the stone in a non-toxic chemical solution, it makes it easier to polish and brings out the vibrant colors. No one knows what’s in the solution because this is a proprietary and guarded process, though treated stones have more potassium in them than before.
Because it doesn't harden the stone, or subject it to pressure, the stones are closer to their natural state. In fact, Zachery-processed turquoise has similar gemological properties to untreated turquoise. To find out more about the process, check out The Identification of Zachery Treated Turquoise.
In 1987, a man named Sterling, who is a turquoise trader from Arizona, purchased the recipe of the Zachery treatment process from James E. Zachery. The Zachery Process is the only turquoise process technology out there that is recognized as a natural treatment by the GIA in the US as well as international gem standards.
Why Does Turquoise Need to Be Treated you ask? Good question!
Turquoise is a naturally soft stone, so it fractures easily. It's also porous so it absorbs stains, leading to discoloration. It picks up a lot of sweat and grease when it's worn as jewelry.
People have treated turquoise for centuries using various treatment methods. Waxes and oils used to be the favorite method for improving its appearance.
Stabilized turquoise is the contemporary version of waxing. Specialists soak the stones in resin or liquid plastic to help harden them. It also helps to stop the white 'bloom' as minerals inside the stone leak out. When they're dry, the treated stones are cut, shaped, or polished.
Specifications
Frequently asked questions
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Is this real turquoise or a dyed substitute?
Material sold under the Turquoise name in this collection is hydrated copper-aluminum phosphate — the genuine mineral. The bead trade also sells dyed howlite and dyed magnesite under names like 'white turquoise' or 'turquenite,' which are not turquoise. Dyed quartz and reconstituted blocks also circulate. If a strand is composite (reconstituted from turquoise powder and binder) or block-pressed, that should be noted in the product title or specifications. When the descriptor is just 'Turquoise' with a stated treatment (natural or stabilized), you are buying the mineral itself — ask before purchase if anything is unclear. -
What does 'stabilized' mean for turquoise, and is it expected?
Stabilization is the industry standard for most turquoise on the market. Raw turquoise is porous and often chalky; stabilization infuses the stone with a clear resin or polymer to harden it, lock in color, and make it workable as beads without crumbling at the drill hole. Stabilized turquoise is still turquoise — only the porosity is filled. Untreated natural turquoise exists but is uncommon in calibrated bead strands and priced accordingly. Composite or reconstituted material is a separate category and should be labeled as such. Treatment should be disclosed; ask before buying if it isn't specified. -
How do origin and color vary across Dakota's turquoise?
Hubei (China) turquoise runs from sky blue to robin's-egg with brown or black matrix and is the most consistent in calibrated bead sizes. Arizona material (Sleeping Beauty type and Kingman type) tends toward clean blue with reddish-brown or no matrix. Nevada turquoise often shows green tones and spiderweb matrix. Iranian (Persian) turquoise is classic sky blue, sometimes with golden limonite matrix. Mexican turquoise varies widely. Origin should be noted in the product title or specifications when known — color and matrix vary strand to strand even within one mine, so pictured strands are representative. -
How do I care for turquoise in finished jewelry?
Turquoise sits at 5–6 on Mohs and is chemically reactive — it absorbs oils, perfumes, lotions, sweat, and chlorinated water, which can turn blue stones green or dull the surface permanently. Stabilized strands tolerate handling better than untreated, but care is the same: wipe with a soft, slightly damp cloth and dry immediately. No ultrasonic, no steam, no bleach, no jewelry dips. Remove before swimming, the gym, hand-washing, and applying fragrance or sunscreen. Earrings and necklaces wear better long-term than rings or bracelets, which take more abrasion and skin contact. -
What scale and cut works best for turquoise in design?
Small rounds (3–4mm) and microfaceted rounds read as classic accent strands and pair cleanly with sterling, gold-fill, coral, lapis, and pearl. Heishi and tyre cuts give the Southwest profile and stack well with sterling spacers. Pebble and nugget shapes show off matrix patterning and work for statement pieces where each bead reads individually. Cubes and rondelles bridge between geometric and organic looks. Because color and matrix vary across mines and even across one strand, designers stringing multi-strand or graduated pieces should buy enough material from a single order to keep the palette consistent.